Palestinians protest in Gaza as humanitarian crisis worsens

ISTANBUL / GAZA, Palestine

Palestinians in the Gaza Strip staged a protest on Sunday as humanitarian and environmental conditions continued to deteriorate to catastrophic levels following Israel’s two-year-long genocide in the coastal enclave.

Demonstrators at a refugee camp in Gaza City carried banners reading, “Enough with injustice and neglect,” “An epidemic is threatening us,” and “Trash is everywhere.”

Protesters called on the UN to fulfill its responsibilities and stand with the people of Gaza as the humanitarian crisis deepens.

‘We want to rebuild our lives’

Eylin, a Palestinian girl forcibly displaced by Israeli attacks, told an Anadolu correspondent, “We live in tents that offer no protection from heat or cold.”

She added, “Children and people are dying because of disease, rodents, and extreme cold. We want to rebuild our lives and we need homes that will protect us.”

Waste collection mechanisms are not functioning in the area

Said Akluk, an official with Gaza’s Health Ministry, said the Gaza Strip lacks proper waste collection systems.

He said ongoing attacks have made it impossible to transport garbage to landfills outside residential areas under hygienic conditions.

Akluk added that tents do not meet even minimum hygiene standards, contributing to the spread of infectious diseases, and said rodents and insects have multiplied because Israel has banned the entry of pest control products.

He also said authorities have received reports of stray animal attacks, particularly involving children.

Since the start of winter, 21 Palestinians have died from the cold in the Gaza Strip, where the humanitarian crisis has worsened due to the Israeli blockade, ongoing attacks and widespread displacement.

Humanitarian crisis deepens despite ceasefire

In a statement, Gaza’s Government Media Office said that despite a ceasefire agreement that took effect on Oct. 10, 2025, Israel has continued violations in Gaza and restricted the entry of humanitarian aid, worsening the humanitarian catastrophe.

The statement said hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are struggling to survive in makeshift tents with no protection from severe cold, rain and wind, and that the lack of shelter, health care and heating has left infants and children in particular facing life-threatening risks.